In this section you'll find my commentaries on things. They may pertain to
Dimensions itself, to the size acceptance movement that I have been part of
for the past 20+ years, to world events, or just things that go through my
head. (If you're interested, most of my editorials are also on this
website.)
Dimensions has been around for almost 20 years as a print publication, and
the Dimensions Online website goes all the way back to 1995, an eternity in
cyberspace. For many people, the concept of Dimensions remains as hard to
define and understand as it ever was, and I must admit I can't blame them.
When we started out as a Special Interest Group (SIG) of NAAFA back in 1983,
I simply wanted to create a place for men who preferred fat women. Why would
they need such a place? Because just as fat people are ostracized and
discriminated against in our thin-oriented society, having a definite
preference for a fat partner is considered suspect as well. No one knows
what sexual preferences are all about and why we have them. But they are
real and they are a major force in our lives. As a result, young men are
often troubled and confused when they find that they fantasize about fat
girls and women. Some go into the closet and never admit to their
preference, not even to themselves. Others eventually realize that the need
for a fat partner is an important part of their lives, one that they need to
make part of their reality.
What complicates matters is that fat women often grow up under so much
pressure that they end up hating themselves and their bodies. It is not easy
for them to see themselves as desirable and they may not understand or
accept that men exist who prefer fatness in a partner. The major reason for
Dimensions' existence is that I want to provide a forum where FAs (fat
admirers) and fat women can get to know each other and learn about one
another.
Initially, there was much debate on whether Dimensions should be men-only, a
place where FAs can explore their sexuality and talk to other FAs about
their feelings and experiences. We decided early on to open Dimensions to
both genders, and that I do not view the term "FA" as one exclusive to men.
There are women who prefer fat men or other fat women. While women are
generally thought to be much more subdued when it comes to fantasies and
attention to physical aspects, I found that the longing and desire a female
FA experiences for a fat partner is really no different from that of males.
We also found that sexuality is unbelievably multi-faceted. While many fat
women hate being fat, some proudly accept themselves, and some experience a
desire to become fatter.
The development of Dimensions over the years has been an interesting one. We
started out as a small, photo-copied newsletter and eventually bloomed into
a glossy, bi-monthly colorful national (and international magazine). At some
point we had hundreds of personal ads in the magazine (lots of people met
through Dimensions and many married). We had numerous appearances on almost
all the major talk shows back when talk shows had not descended yet into the
gutter. Those appearances certainly were a experience!
When newcomers browse through the pages of the magazine or peruse the
Dimensions website, they are often perplexed that we are as likely to tackle
political topics as we are to explore interpersonal relationships and
fantasies. To me, that doesn't seem unusual at all. For those of us who are
devoting our lives to the cause of size acceptance, this is much more than
just a sexual preference. It's a conscious decision we made to not only go
with our feelings and desires, but also to fight the appalling
discrimination our fat partners, girlfriends, wives, and sgnificant others
face on a daily basis.
Dimensions is a community, one that I think fills an important role. It's
certainly made a difference in my life. I am in the fortunate position to
have been able to combine my personal and my professional interests.
Dimensions eventually grew into a publishing business that now includes
several national magazines in the technical sectors. We also publish BBW
Magazine which we rescued from extinction back in 1998.
A mentor of mine once said that I am a man who has infinite patience but no
tolerance. I guess I agree. I do have lot of patience for those who try to
understand, those who really seek answers. But I have almost zero tolerance
for bullshit and insincerity and, especially, political correctness. As a
result, I value longevity, continuity, and openness towards all sides of an
argument.
All that said, doing Dimensions has changed considerably over the years. The
incredible growth of the Web has made available so many resources that
people
never had in the past. What that means is that much of Dimensions offered almost
exclusively is now available in many places. While the website keeps growing
and has become a vibrant community with lively bulletin boards, the
publication frequency of the print magazine has been going down. While
Dimensions once was financially feasible, it is now entirely subsidized by
my other ventures, as is BBW. As you can imagine, after the kind of year
we've just had, that raises some serious questions.